Lifting truck



July 26 1927.

w.l c. cHlLnRr-:ss

LIFTING TRUCK Filed April v, 1924 sheets-sneer 1 July 26 1927' w. c. CHlLDREss LIFTING TRUCK i Filed April '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 19,27.

' UNITED STATES 1,636,850 PATENT oFFlcE.

WILLIAM C. CHILDRESS, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR T0 MERCURY MANUFAC- A TUBING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LIFTING TRUCK.

Application mea' April 7,

It is customary in large cities for telegraph or telephone cables to be laid in underground conduits and to be transported to the places where they are to be inserted in. the conduits while wound upon reels. As it is desirable that each such cable be of very considerable length so as to avoid as much as possible the splicing of one section of cable to another the reels are made with heads spaced at quite a considerable distance apart, whereby a relatively long section of cable can be wound upon one of such 4reels. Such a reel when so wound is necessarily very heavy and to move it from place to place, even when rolling it along an ordinarily smooth pavement, is a slow and tedious job. It is the leading object of my invention to provide a Wheeled truck ofsuch construction that it will be adapted to be quickly and '20 readily moved into such a posit-ion with respect to a cable reel that, by means of vertically-movable members carried at opposite sides of the truck frame, the reel can be engaged and lifted and held oft of the ground and 'be transported by the truck,.-such truck being desirably propelled by means of a small tractor of the type now commonly employed for moving trailer trucks of various kinds in and around shops, railroad stations and other places. Other objects of theinvention are to so construct the reel-lifting devices that they will be adapted to operatively engage reels of various diameters; to provide in connection with such lifting devices means for automatically cutting off the power that effects the movements of suchV lifting devices, whereby such movements may not continue long enough to cause damage to any part of the mechanism if for any reason the attendant fails to shut off the power; to provide means for automatically checking the downward movement of the lifting devices and the reel supported thereby so as to avoid the possibility of the lifting devices descending with force against the gear housings that are located below them; and to improve generally the construction and operation of lifting trucks. I accomplish these stated objects by the means shown in the drawings and hereinafter more particularly described, and that which is believed to be new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings,- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved truck with a reel in position to be lifted 1924. seria; No. 704,667.

thereby, and showing in dotted lines the position of the parts and the reel after the reel has been engaged and lifted into transport-1 ing position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the truck, the inclined bracing members being partly broken away;

Fig.- 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section and showing the lifting device at one side of the truck and means for operating it; and

Fig. 4 is a detail of the braking means that is employed for checking the descent 0f the lifting devices.

The frame of the truck is of rectangular shape and, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, each side member of the truck comprises two parallel bars each preferably formed of a`channel iron, said bars beingspaced apart a sufficient distance to receive between them one of t-he rear supporting wheels. The outer one of each of these bars is indicated by 10, and the inner one by 11. The front ends of the two outer 'frame bars 10 are connected together by one or more bars 12, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the forward ends of the innermost bars 11, and which ends are considerably'in rear' of the front ends o-f the outermost bars, are connected together by a crossbar 13, which bar 13 extends across theends of the bars 11 and has its ends secured to the inner faces of the outer bars 10. Gussets 14 are shown at the junction of the bars 11 and 13. For the purpose of affording support to the upper ends of the framework that holds the two sets of lifting devices in place, I provide a bracing framework that comprises at each side of the truck a heavy upwardly and forwardly inclined bar 15, each of which bars at its rear end is suitably connected to the rear end of one-of the side bars 10, and t-he forward upper ends of these bars 15 are connected by a cross-bar 16. These parts 15 and .16 are preferably made, as indicated, of channel iron, and the forward end of this bracingframe structure is supported by u wardly and rearwardly inclined bars 1 which `latter bars at :their lower ends are secured to the forwardrportion of the side bar members 10. The rear supporting Wheels ICQ hereinbefore referred to are each indicated supported by two caster wheels 19. As 11 shown in Fig. 3, the stem of each caster wheel is here shown as rising above the main frame and supported by suitable means riveted to two spaced-apart channel bars 2O that rest upon the forward portions of the channel bars l0 of the side members of the frame.

Suitably supported on a bracket 21 mounted on the cross-bars 20 is an electric 1' tor 22 that is adapted to be driven from any suitable source. Preferably it will be connected with a storage battery on a. tractor to which the truck is hitched, and which storage battery also furnishes the power for driving the tractor, so that the operation of the motor may be at all times under the control of the operator of the tractor. To that end I provide, as shown in Fig. 1, current wires leading forward from the motor by which the connection to such storage battery is made. At B in said Fig. 1 is indicated the rear end portion of a tractor such as referred to, and the connection of the truck with 'the tractor .is through any suitable hitch device, such as indicated in Figs.y 1 and 2 by 23. The parts to be operated by power derived from th'e motor 22 comprise two vertically-movable members located at opposite sides of the truck frame and preferably adjacent to the rear supporting wheels thereof, each of said vertically-movable devices operating simultaneously and to the same extent and being adapted to engage at opposite sides of the article to be raised and transported. Each of the said vertically-movable lifting members comprises a heavy block 24 through which passes a vertical shaft 25 which has screw-threaded engagement with said block, and it is evident that if said block is held against turning it will be moved vertically when such screwthreaded rod is turned. The block is held against such turning by being provided with two forwardly projecting lips 26 (see Fig.

3) that project between two upright posts 7, 28 that are here shown as formed of angle irons and that rise respectively from the inner and outer frame bars 11 and 10,

each of said lips having a lateral portionI that is notched to receive one of the flanges of one of said angle-iron posts. This construction provides a slidin interlocking of the blocks to the said angle-lron posts. Each angle-iron post 28 rises alongside of and is secured to the adjacent heavy diagonal brace member 15, andthe upper end of each post 27 will preferably be braced by a bar 30 that'will extend to and be connected with the cross-bar 16-a portion ef each of these bars 30 being shown in Fig. 2 and a portion of one of Kthem being shown in Fig. 3. Conj nected with and projecting rearwardly from each pair of b ars'27, 28 is a housing 31 in whlch 1s provlded a bearing for the upper end of the screw-threaded shaft 25, the lower end of such shaft being suitably supported in the lower end of a housing 32 that also encloses certain driving gears hereinafter mentioned. Preferably anti-friction bearing members will be provided for both ends of each of these shafts, as shown in Fig. 3. 33 indicates a plurality of fingers projecting rearwardly from each of the blocks 24, the corresponding lingers of each block being adapted to engage with and hold a device that projects from the' adjacent side of the article to be lifted. Primarily this truck is intended, as hereinbefore stated, for the lifting of cable reels, and as such reels' are not always of the same diameter a plurality of these engaging fingers 33 is provided so as to better adapt the device to such different sizes of reels-it being understood that the engagement of a reel by these two oppositely located lifting -devices will be by positioning corresponding fingers 33 of the two heads under the oppositely projecting ends of a spindle that passes through the usual central opening in the reel. In Fig. 1 is shown a cable reel, indicated by A, and the spindle for the same is indicated by a.

The driving means for the two vertical screw-threaded shafts 25 comprises a horizontal shaft 34 extending across the forward part of the truck and suitabl journaled in bearings supported by the game bars 10. This shaft 34fis driven from the shaft of the motor by a suitable drive chain 35, and upon each end of the shaft 34 is a worm 36 that is in mesh with a worm gear 37 fast upon the forward end of a shaft 38 that lies between the adjacent pair of side bars 10 and 11. Each of these shafts 38 has upon its rear end a bevel gear 39 that is in mesh with another and larger bevel gear 40 fast on the lower portion of the adjacent vertical shaft 25. 41 indicates two housings which respectively enclose the worms 36 and the gears 37 that those worms respectively engage with, with which housings are formed bearings for the shafts that enter them.

1t is advisable that means be provided for automatically stopping the driving mechanism in case such stopping is not done at the proper moment by the attendant, because ilo otherwise, as will be evident, damage might contained in said box project therefrom .at

the side adjacent to said posts and lie in' the path of a forwardly projecting arm 44 carried by the block 24 at that side of the truck and projecting between the posts 27, 28. Said arm lies between the two switches andin the construction shown, is provided with two contact members 45, 46, respectively, in the form of screws, and it will be evident that as the blocks 24 are moved upwardly the member is adapted to throw the switch 42, whereas upon downward movement the member 46 isadapted to come in contact with and throw the switch 43. As shown in Fig. 1, current wires lead from the switch box to the motor, and the switches are adapted in the usual manner to control the current that actuates the motor. I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in detail or by diagram the circuits, as there is nothing in and by itself novel in that feature, and the installation of circuits that will be controlled by switches such as shown, and for the purpose stated, will be well understood. i

The worm gearing employed in connection with the driving of the vshafts will in and of itself largely tend to act as a brake, yet it is desirable to add a braking mechanism that will so restrain the downward movement of the lifting blocks that they will not he allowed to descend rwith force enough to come in contact with and .injure the gear housings 32 that .1re in their paths. Such braking mechanism comprises a drum 47 keyed to theshaft 34, with which drum is associated a brake shoe 48 that is pivoted at 49 to a bracket 50 pivoted to the frame bar 13. To the free end of the brake shoe 48 is pivotally connected a link 51 that atvits rear end is pivoted to an arm 52 that is pivotally mounted upon a short shaft 53 carried by a bracket 54secured upon the frame of the truck. Projecting rearwardly from the pivoted arm 52 is a link 55 that at its rear end is pivoted to one end of a bell-crank lever 56. the other end of which bell-crank lever lies opposite an arm 57 that is rigid with the lower end of the adjacent block 24. It will be evident that as said block 24 moves downward and the arm 57 that is carried F thereby comes in contact with the bell-crank lever 56 the brake shoe will be pulled into frictional engagement with the brake drum. A spring 58 normally holds the brake shoe slightly away from the drum. As shown in Fig. 2, the arm 57 that is carried by that one 'of the blocks 24 that is located at the side of the truck where the braking apparatusis located projects between the two guiding lips 26 that engage the guide posts 27, 28.

As shown, the rear ends of each pair of bars 10 and 11 that constitute one of the side members of the truck frame are connected together by a cross-piece, indicated by 59, which is preferably of channel iron, -as are the members of the side bars.` While the frame constructed as so far described forms in itself a very rigid structure, yet owing to the great weights imposed upon it, and the twisting strains that may be set up in the frame thereby, it is desirable to rigidly connect the rear ends of the frame bars together so as to give greater stiffness to the structure. and yet at the same time such rear connecting piece must be readily removable so as to leave the rear end of the truck open to permit the truck to be moved into position alongside of a rcel that is'to be engaged and lifted. This removable rear bar is v indicated by 60, and, owing to the fact that it has to be handled from time to time, it is desirable that it be of less width than the sidelbars in order to have it of as light weight as possible.

a short channel shaped strip 61`r which' short strips are of a proper size and shape to allow of the seating therein of the end portions of the removable cross-bar 60. A headed stud 62 projects through each of the pieces 59 and 61, and these studs also pass through holes in the end portions of the channeled cross-bar 60, such cross-bar being removably' held in place by keys 63 that pass through holes in the said studs, as clearly Shown in Fig. 3. 'In Fig. 1 the endcross-bar 60 is shown as having been removed, as would be the case to permit positioning of the truck with respect tothe reel, or when the truck is to be drawn away from the reel, and in Fig. 2 such cross-bar is indicated in vposition by dotted lines. l

' From the foregoing description the operation will probably be plain, but, briefly, the manner of using the truck in connection with a reel that is to be elevated and transported is as follows: The truck with its rear cross-bar 60 removed will be moved toward a reel so that such reel stands between the side bars of the frame, substantially as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Thereupon upon the motor being driven-preferably by power the truck is hitched-the transverse horizontal shaft 34 will be rotated and cause a rotation of the longitudinally extending shafts 38, and thus through the gearing that connects them with the vertical shafts 25 cause such vertical shafts to rotate, with the eEect, of course, of causing a simultaneous 4upward movement of the blocks 24 that are mounted on such vertical shafts and have screw-threaded engagement with them. These blocks are held against turning by reason of their forwardly engaging notched lips engaging with the guide posts 27, 28 respectively. One of the curved fingers 33 of each block will engage under a project-ing end of the spindle that passes through the center of the reel, and thus raise the reel 0H of the ground, reel so supported is to be moved to the'desired place of use. In case the operator neglects to cut off the power, the turning of the switch 42 in the mannerbefore described will stop further elevation of the blocks and whereupon the truck with the I therefore rivet to the face of each Yof the short connecting channel pieces 59 derived fromv the tractor to which ing maneuvered into the yreel supported thereby, and thus prevent damage that might otherwise ensue if the lifting operation were continued beyond thef required point. To lower the reel to the ground the motor is erreversely actuated, and during the lowering operation thev switch 43 will be automatically moved, as described, and by the gradual application of the brake shoe to its drum the lifting blocks 24 will be prevented from continuing their descent far enough to strike the gear housings 32. y

The provision of the inner side bars 1l and transverse bar 13 serves not only the purpose of ensuring a very rigid frame structure, but serves also the very important purpose of protecting the two drive shafts 38 and the transverse drive shaft 34 from possible injur cau-sed by contact with the reel that is to e lifted when the truck is beposition with respect to said reel. The said inner frame members thus effectually guard the said shafts at all times from contact with the reel.

. What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

1. A wheeled truck comprising a U-shaped frame having two side members spaced apart to receive between them the article to be lifted, each Jof said side members being composed of two parallel bars spaced apart, transverse end members connecting said side members together at one end, asupporting .wheel at each side of the frame mounted bef tween the bars of said side members, laterally swinging wheels supporting the forward portion of the frame, a gear housing at each side of the frame mounted between the bars of'said side members, upright screw-threadf ed shafts extending from said gear housings at each side "of said frame, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereof by the rotation of said shafts, thrust bearings in said gear housings supporting said shafts, a bevel gear on each of said upright shafts within each 'gear housing, longitudinally extending shafts mounted on said side members between the parallel bars thereof, the rear ends of said latter shafts entering said gear housings, bevel pinions on said longitudinally extending shafts meshing with the bevel gears in said housings, worm wheels on the forward ends of said longitudinally extending shafts, a transverse shaft mounted on the front portion of said frame worms on the ends of said transverse shaft meshing with said worm wheels, and means for rotatmw ing said transverse shaft.

2. A wheeled truck comprising a frame having two side members spaced apart to relceive between them the articles to be lifted,

a transverse end `member connecting said side members together at one end, supporting wheels mounted on said side and end members respectively, upright posts rising from` said side members, upright screwthreaded shafts journaled at their lower ends on said side members, means connected with the upper end portions of said posts for pivotally supporting the upper ends of said shafts, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereon by the rotation of said shafts, longitudinally extending shafts supported by the side members of the frame and geared to said upright shafts to rotate the same, a transverse shaft'supported by said end member, worm gearing connecting said shafts, and means for rotating said transverse shaft.

3. A wheeled truck comprising a U-shaped frame having two side members spaced apart to receive bet-Ween them the article to be lifted, each of said side members being composed of two parallel bars spaced apart, transverse end members connecting said side members together at one end, a supporting wheel at each side ofthe frame mounted between the bars of said side members, laterally swinging wheels supporting the forward portion of the frame, a gear housing at each side of the frame Ymounted between the parallel bars of said side members, upright screw threaded shafts extending from said gear housings at each side of said frame, lifting members having threaded enshafts within each gear housing, longitudinally extending shafts mounted on said side l members between the bars thereof, the rear ends of said latter shafts 'entering said gear housings, bevel pinions on said longitudinally extending shafts meshing with the bevel gears in said housings, worm wheels on the forward ends of said longitudinally extending shafts, a transverse shaft mounted on the front portion of said frame, worms on the ends of said transverse shaft meshing with said worm wheels,l gear housings enclosing the worms and .worm wheels at each end of said transverse shaft, fand' power means mounted on said truck and operatively connected for driving said transverse shaft, i

4. A wheeled truck comprising a frame having two side members spaced apart to receive between them the article to be lifted,

wardly and forwardly for/connection with the upper end portions of said posts, upright screw-threaded shafts journaled at their lower ends on said side members. means connected wi-th the upper end portions of said posts for pivotally supporting the upper ends of said shafts, lifting members having `threaded engagement with said shafts and extending upwardly vand forwardly there-V from, said braces being connected with the upper end portions of said posts, bra'ces connected with the forward portion of the frame and with the forward portions of said first mentioned braces, upright screw-threaded shafts journaled at their lower ends on said side members, means connected with the upper end portions of said posts for pivotally supporting the upper ends of said shafts, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereon by the rotation of said shafts, and means for rotating said shafts in unison.

- 6. A cable reel transporting truck comvprising a U-shaped frame open at the rear end having two side members spaced apart to receive-between them the reel to be lifted, transverse end members connecting said side members together at one end, rear wheels pivotally connected to said side members, laterally swingingl front wheels pivotally connected to the forward closed portion of said U-shaped fra'me, a single pair of upright screw-threaded shafts disposed one at each side of said frame in a transverse plane intermediate the frontand rear wheels, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereon by the rotation of said shafts, fingers extending rearwardly from said lifting members and adapted to engage under a shaft extending transversely through the cable reel to be transported, and means for rotating said shafts in unison. y

7. A wheeled truck comprising a frame having two side members spaced apart to receive between them the article to be lifted, each of said side members being composed 'of two parallel bars spaced apart, transverse end members Connecting saidside members together at one end, a supporting wheel at each side of the frame mounted between the bars of said side members, caster wheels supporting the forward portion of the frame,

upright screw-threaded shafts journaled at their lower ends on said side members, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable .vertically thereon by the rotation of said shafts, longitudinally extending shafts mounted on said vside members between the bars thereof, the

latter .shafts being geared to said upright shafts, and a transverse shaft geared to said longitudinally extending shafts for driving the same in unison. v j

8. A cable reel transporting truck comprising -a U-shaped frameopen at the rear and having two side members spaced apart to lie at opposite sides of the reel to be lifted, transverse end members connecting said side members together at one end, rear supporting wheels pivoted to the rear ends of said side members adjacent the open endv of the frame, laterally swinging front wheels pivotally connected to the closed front part of said frame, upright screw-threaded shafts disposed one at each side of said frame in a transverse plane intermediate the front and rear wheels, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereon by the rotation of said shafts, lifting shoulders on said lifting members disposed in the vertical planes of said side frame members'to leave an unobstructed opening between said side members into which the cable reel canbe moved, posts mounted 011 said side members and connected with the upper end portions of said shafts, longitudinally extending shafts carried by said side members and geared to the lower end portions of said screw-threaded shafts, a transverse shaft supported adjacent the forward end of said truck and having geared connection with said longitudinally extending` shafts, brake mechanism on said transverse Shaft, and brake actuating linkage extending from said brake mechanism and adapted to be actuated by one of said lifting members when the latter is in a predetermined position.

9. A cable reel transporting truck comprising a U-shaped frame open at the rear and having two side members spaced apart to permit the reel to bemoved into the frame therebetween, a transverse member connecting said side members together at the front end of the truck, rear supporting wheels connected to said side members adjacent the rear open end of said frame, laterally swinging front wheels connected to said frame adjacent ,the front closed end thereof, a single pair of upright screw-l threaded shafts disposed one at each side of said frame in a transverse plane intermediate the front and rear wheels, lifting meinbers having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereon by the rotation of said shafts, a plurality of a` single pair of of said lifting Vmembers adapted to receive Aac axially projecting carrying portions of a cable reel, longitudinally extending shafts geared to said uprightshafts, a transverse shaft supported ad]acent the front end of.

said truck and geared to said longitudinally extending shafts, power means for driving said transverse shaft, brake mechanism on said transverse shaft, a lever pivotally supported adjacent one of said screw-threaded shafts and adapted to be engaged bythe associated lifting member when the latter has moved to a predetermined position on said c shaft, and brake actuating linkage connecting said lever with said brake mechanism.

l0. A cable reel transporting truck comprising a U-shaped frame open at the rear and having two side members spaced apart to permit the cable reel to be 'received within said truck, wheels for the front and rear ends of said truck, a single pair of upright screw-threaded shafts disposed one at each side of said frame in a transverse plane intermediate the front and' rearl wheels, lifting members having threaded engagement with said shafts and movable vertically thereon by the rotation of saichshafts, lifting shoulders on said lifting members adapted to receive axially projecting carrying portions of the cable reel, longitudinally extending shafts gearedy to said upright shafts, a transverse shaft supported adjacent the front end of said `frame and geared to said longitudinally extending shafts, an electric motor for driving said transverse shaft, two switches mounted one above the other adjacent one of said upright shafts,

medew said switches controlling the circuit of said motor and comprising extending switchF l1. A wheeled truck comprising a frame 4having two side members spaced apart to receive between them` an article to be lifted, each of said side members being composed of bars spaced apart, a transverse endtmember connecting said side members together at one end, transverse members connecting together the rear ends of the side bars of each side member, channel strips secured to the latter transverse members, and a transverse bar fitted in and detachably secured to said channel strips.

12. A wheeled truck comprising a frame having two side members spaced apart to receive between them an article to be lifted, a transverse end member connecting said side members together at the front end of said truck, channel strips secured to the rear ends of each of said side members, studs extending rearwardly from said channel strips, a detachable bar adapted to extend transversely across the open rear end of said frame between said side members, said detachable bar having nesting engagement at its ends with said channel strips and having openings therein through which said studs project, and releasable key means cooperating with said studs for holding said detachable bar in mounted position.

WILLIAM C. GHlLDRESS. 

